How Fashion Influences Interior Design Trends, According to Top Style Expert Mariana Keros

When it comes to matters of style, Mariana Keros’s expertise is unrivaled. After serving for years as a trend forecaster for the home and apparel divisions of major companies like The Limited and Target, Keros now owns a consulting practice focused on schooling fashion and lifestyle companies about all things on-trend.

Because we’re always on the lookout for what’s new and next, we tapped Keros to share some of the biggest trends she’s seeing in fashion and home decor, and how the two worlds intersect when it comes to the styles of the moment.

In your work as a trend forecaster and style expert, how do you find that fashion influences interior design trends and vice versa?

It usually starts with fashion. Fashion apparel trends have really been influencing what happens aesthetically in interiors. I first started seeing this blueprint about twenty years ago. We’d see a trend from designer runway shows in Europe, and it would trickle down from there, first through ready-to-wear and later through the home. As for the timeframe, it’s usually about six months-to-a-year until you see interiors take a cue from fashion. The trends then start to blur between what we wear – fabrics, colors, patterns, embellishments – and our home interior choices.

What trends are you seeing flow down from fashion into interior design right now?

There are three that are really strong right now.

What’s most interesting about velvet is that it’s a very luxe and opulent fabric. I think it’s always been popular for interiors when you’re trying to create a rich and elegant ambiance. However, until just recently, it hadn’t been very popular overall because of the influx of minimalist, Scandinavian, and mid-century styles. I think the incorporation of velvet in home design signifies a larger turn in the home industry toward creating cozier spaces and making our homes a respite. Velvet is very tactile, presenting rich, saturated color handsomely – especially gem tones like emerald and sapphire.

Velvet in fashion and home. Images courtesy of Mariana Keros

Another big crossover trend is metallics of burnished brass, golds, and warm tones. However, uncharacteristically, this trend was prevalent in home decor before we noticed it in fashion. For the last few years, we have seen gold tones used for lighting, faucets, knobs, and side and coffee tables. And, again, I think it goes back to the more recent trend of making spaces feel cozy. If you look at the fixtures in kitchens and bathrooms from the last 20 years, they were all nickel and stainless steel. Now we’re seeing brass and gold. In spring 2017 fashion, silver was new and fresh to wear. But, as we moved into the fall, gold became the new metallic.

Brass and gold tones are trending in both apparel and decor.

The last trend to discuss is a fresh, incoming apparel trend. It is floral patterns. The floral popularity has really been inspired by Gucci, which I’d say is currently the hottest brand in fashion. Gucci has shown a lot of florals, often mixed with other patterns and different fabrics. This creates a fanciful look that is just starting to trickle into home decor. The easiest transition into this trend will most likely be with wallpaper, but I also expect to see it in upholstery, drapery, and throw rugs.

Floral prints: big on runways, and recently in interiors, too.

Based on current fashion trends, what should we expect to see in interior design in the near future? In other words, what future trends are you predicting for interiors based on today’s fashion trends?

It would definitely be a color trend. On the spring 2018 runways, many designers were showing cool, pastel shades. In trend forecasting we call these colors “white pastels” because there’s a white background in the color which creates a clarity. It’s not a muddy tone. Pinks and lavenders were especially popular on the runways – anything with a rosy shade or purple-toned lavenders. People always ask me how to refresh their closets for a new season. For spring 2018, I’d say to get something fun in a pastel color, like a pair of jeans, a pump, or a silk blouse. This is one of the strongest fashion trends for spring 2018.

Since fashion and interior design are so closely intertwined, how can someone’s personal style when it comes to their wardrobe inform the way they decorate their home?

I don’t think personal style necessarily has to be tied to trends and can be approached more generally. For example, looking at your closet might help you figure out whether you’re a linear, geometric person, or if curves resonate better with you. You may also prefer color to neutrals. Take this information and apply it to your home. That general style sensibility can be helpful in uncovering the interior design aesthetic right for you. The trained eye of an interior designer can you help you clearly define your style profile and find the best solutions for integrating new trends into your living space.

Curious about how to incorporate these interior design trends into your space? Get in touch with Armina Interiors at armina@arminainteriors.com.